MLB notebook: Padres reportedly land RHP Richards

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Free agent right-handed pitcher Garrett Richards agreed to a two-year, $15 million deal with the San Diego Padres on Thursday. According to multiple reports, Richards and the Padres shook on an agreement that could be finalized with a physical in 24 hours.

Richards is returning from Tommy John surgery and is unlikely to be available during the 2019 season. He would be just shy of 20 months from the operation when the 2020 season begins.

Because of injuries, Richards, 30, has pitched only 138 innings the past three seasons. His latest ulnar collateral ligament injury was the second of his career. The 42nd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Richards has a career 45-38 record with a 3.54 ERA in 170 games.

—The New York Mets have emerged as the front-runners to acquire second baseman Robinson Cano from the Seattle Mariners along with closer Edwin Diaz, Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reported. Passan tweeted that there is “significant momentum” between the two clubs but that a deal is not done yet.

Cano, 36, is owed $120 million on his current contract, the remainder of 10-year, $240 million deal signed in 2013. Cano also owns a full no-trade clause.

Multiple outlets report that Mets outfielder Jay Bruce could be part of a deal for Cano and Diaz. Further, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the Mets have floated two former first-round draft picks into discussions — outfielder Jarred Kelenic, selected No. 6 overall in 2018, and Justin Dunn, a right-handed pitcher picked 19th overall in 2016.

—The Los Angeles Dodgers are in talks with the Cleveland Indians about a blockbuster trade that could net them two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reported.

The Dodgers could part with outfielder Yasiel Puig in a deal for Kluber and would likely need to throw in another significant player or two for the Indians to move their ace starter, Morosi wrote.

The Dodgers would be willing to part with starter Alex Wood and pitching prospect Yadier Alvarez for the opportunity to pair Kluber with NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw at the top of their rotation, according to the report. The blockbuster is one of several being discussed between the teams, according to Morosi.

Sanchez, 21, made 13 starts for Double-A Mississippi in 2018, finishing 2-5 with a 4.06 ERA. The left-hander was designated for assignment by the Braves on Monday.

The Mariners also released right-hander Casey Lawrence, who is expected to sign with a Japanese team. Lawrence, 31, went 1-0 with a 7.33 ERA in 11 relief appearances for Seattle last season. He spent most of the year with Triple-A Tacoma, going 7-5 with one save and a 3.31 ERA in 19 games (16 starts).

—The Los Angeles Angels acquired infielder Tommy La Stella from the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations or a player to be named. The trade of La Stella comes two days after the Cubs acquired infielder Ronald Torreyes from the New York Yankees.

La Stella, 29, batted .266 with one homer and 19 RBIs in 123 games last season. He spent four seasons with the Cubs, producing a batting average high of .288 in 2017. He has a .264 career average and 10 homers and 94 RBIs in 396 major league games.

The Angels also released 29-year-old outfielder Jabari Blash, who batted .103 with one RBI and 24 strikeouts in 39 at-bats for Los Angeles last season.

—The Texas Rangers signed right-hander Edinson Volquez to a one-year, $2 million contract, according to reports from MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

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The 35-year-old is coming off Tommy John surgery and did not pitch last season. He signed a two-year minor league deal almost a year ago with the Rangers, but the team agreed to convert his deal into a big-league contract. The deal includes $5 million in incentives, Heyman reported.

Volquez went 4-8 with a 4.19 ERA in 17 starts in 2017 with the Miami Marlins. He has a career record of 93-87 with a 4.42 ERA in 276 games (269 starts) over 13 seasons.